Many fence posts and railing posts today are made of vinyl. In most cases they need to be rigidly attached to a base and this is generally done by attaching anchor rods to the base, placing the hollow posts over the anchor rods and then pouring concrete into the hollow vinyl post so when the concrete sets, a solid post is supposed to be provided. The arrangement requires fairly accurate lining up of the posts on the anchor rods, however, it is found that the concrete aggregate is generally too large to effectively fill up the space in the vinyl post, and when the concrete sets, shrinkage occurs which allows movement between the concrete and the vinyl post. Thus in many cases, the post is not solid but has some side movement which is not satisfactory.
Throughout the text the words "fence posts" includes railing posts and other kinds of posts that are attached to a base. The fence posts may be used in balconies, stairways and the like and are mounted on a wooden base or a steel base in which case generally anchor bolts or threaded rods are used to attach the post to the balcony. Nuts are attached onto both ends of the anchor rods to grip the wooden or steel beams. Alternatively, long wood screws with extended heads may be used for attaching to wooden beams. The extended heads provide a hold for the concrete in the posts. In the case of a concrete base or a rock base, anchor bolts and anchor rods are used for attaching the posts to the base.
Whereas the posts are disclosed as being made of PVC, aluminum posts or other suitable materials may also be used. By pouring the concrete inside the posts, one provides a solid post not subject to deformation or flexing as are hollow posts. The methods of attachment for railings, etc., to the posts are not indicated here and do not form part of the present invention. However, clearly for both stair rails, balcony railings and the like there are known arrangements of hand railings that are joined to the posts.